Page images
PDF
EPUB

Writing a Letter

128. ORAL LESSON

113

A number of the letters written in Lesson 126 are to be read aloud. Each pupil is to read his own letter. Read very distinctly, so that every one in the class can understand.

Are there any mistakes in pronunciation or in the use of words? Which are the best letters? Why?

For Lesson 129, bring an envelope and a stamp to the class. Be sure you know how to spell the name and address of the person to whom your letter is written.

129. WRITTEN LESSON

On the envelope write the name and address correctly. Follow the models in Lessons 83 and 111.

Now copy very carefully the letter that you wrote in Lesson 126. Make sure that all the mistakes are corrected. Write plainly and slowly. Sign your name. Read the let

ter over. Is it a good one?

Now fold the sheet neatly and put it in the addressed envelope. Mail the letter after school.

130. LANGUAGE LESSON

TWO TROUBLESOME VERBS

See, Saw, Seen

Study carefully these sentences, and repeat them over and over until you are sure you can use correctly the words see, saw, seen. They are different forms of the verb see. See is the present tense; saw is the past tense; and seen is used in verb-groups with has, have, and had.

I

1. I see the bird now. 2. He sees the nest. 3. I have seen him often. 4. I haven't seen him for several days. 5. I saw him first a week ago. 6. Has he seen us? 7. Yes, he saw us a moment ago. 8. Did you see him, too? 9. Now we have both seen him.

Supply the proper form, see, sees, saw, seen, in the following sentences:

1. I

3. There, I

an oriole yesterday. 2. Where did you — him? 4. I never

him now.

one before.

5. Oh, a scarlet

them several times

I have them many times. 6. Have you ever
tanager? 7. No, but my brother has
this summer.

tense.

Do, Does, Did, Done

Do is plural; does is singular; both are in the present Did is both singular and plural and is in the past Done is used in verb-groups with has, have, or had: I have done it. He has done it.

tense.

1. I do my lessons in the morning. 2. He does his at night. 3. She doesn't do hers at all. 4. Doesn't she like to study? 5. Her brothers do, but she doesn't. 6. I did my example. Have you done yours? 7. He has done all his examples. 8. I didn't go yesterday, did you?

Read these sentences over and over until you are sure you can use the words correctly. Then make three sentences, using do, and three each for does, did, and done.

After this, any errors in the use of the verbs see and do in the oral lessons should be corrected as soon as the speaker makes the mistake.

Review the drill in the right way of saying things in Lesson 110.

October's Bright Blue Weather 115

131. ORAL LESSON

The poem on the next two pages is to be studied and memorized in preparation for the Oral Lesson.

Read the poem carefully aloud. What is the first stanza about? the last stanza? What are the other stanzas about? Have you seen bumblebees, golden-rod, gentians, grapes, chestnuts, woodbine, and apple trees? What do the words belated, thriftless, vagrant mean? Why are they applied to the bumblebee? Explain the first two lines of the third stanza. Why are chestnut burrs described as satin? Explain white-winged seeds, aftermaths, lovely wayside things, golden freighting.

Helen Hunt Jackson was an American writer who spent most of her life in California. You should read her poem

66

September," and compare it with this one on October. Other poems on the months are "May," by Frank Dempster Sherman; "July," by Susan Hartley Sweet; "March," by William Wordsworth. Do you think that October is the

best of the months?

How do you like the drawing for the poem in this book? If you care to, you might make with your water colors an ornamental cover for a booklet in which you could copy the poem. This would make a nice Christmas gift for some one at home.

[graphic]

OCTOBER'S BRIGHT BLUE WEATHER

O suns and skies and clouds of June, And flowers of June together,

Ye cannot rival for one hour

October's bright blue weather;

When loud the bumblebee makes haste, Belated, thriftless, vagrant,

And golden-rod is dying fast,

And lanes with grapes are fragrant;

When gentians roll their fringes tight
To save them for the morning,
And chestnuts fall from satin burrs
Without a sound of warning;

When on the ground red apples lie
In piles like jewels shining,
And redder still on old stone walls

Are leaves of woodbine twining;

[graphic]

When all the lovely wayside things
Their white-winged seeds are sowing,
And in the fields, still green and fair,
Late aftermaths are growing;

When springs run low, and on the brooks,
In idle golden freighting,

Bright leaves sink noiseless in the hush
Of woods, for winter waiting;

When comrades seek sweet country haunts,
By twos and twos together,

And count like misers, hour by hour,
October's bright blue weather.

O sun and skies and flowers of June,
Count all your boasts together,
Love loveth best of all the year
October's bright blue weather.

- HELEN HUNT JACKSON.

« PreviousContinue »